Private Event FAQ

From a celebration of life/memorial events, birthdays, and corporate retreats to grad parties, baby and bridal showers, and team-building experiences, we welcome anyone to inquire about hosting an event at the Arboretum.

Yes. We can place a two-week hold on one location for your event. Please inquire with an Arboretum Reservations/Events Staff member regarding availability and what information is needed to place this hold.

Once a contract is drafted, you will have two weeks to review and sign the needed documentation. We cannot accept any form of payment until a signed contract is received by the Arboretum Reservations/Event team. 

All private and corporate events are required to place a deposit equal to the full room rental cost to secure their reservation. Pricing for our spaces are broken down into half-day rentals (up to four hours), full-day rentals (five to eight-hour rentals), or Saturday rentals. Please inquire with the Arboretum Reservations/Events team for pricing of available spaces. The cost of any additional event enhancements, including A/V, are due no later than your event day. 

The Arboretum requires all private and corporate events to obtain general liability insurance if there are 25 or more event attendees and/or if the event chooses to serve alcohol. This insurance is due 30 days prior to your event. Picnic shelter rentals are excluded from this requirement.

If the contract holder is a member of the Arboretum at the time of booking, a 10% membership discount rate will apply. Membership discounts are only applied to private, social events and cannot be used for corporate or non-profit events.

If the event is canceled after the payment is received, the Licensee will forfeit 50% of the payment. If the Licensee cancels the reservation within 10 calendar days of the event, the Licensee shall forfeit the rental fee in its entirety.

The Reservations/Events Team and Catering Teams do not provide decorations for our events. All of our private and corporate events assume the responsibility for setting up and taking down decorations. Any free-standing decorations are allowed. Decorations needing to be placed on walls are only permitted with the use of command strips. No nailing, stapling, or taping decorations to walls and ceilings is allowed, and no hanging decorations from the chandeliers or copper piping will be tolerated. 

Sparklers, open-flame candles, fireworks, balloons, confetti, and glitter are not permitted on site. Arboretum staff reserves the right to consider any decorations inappropriate, and any special or unique decorations, including butterfly releases and unity candles, are not allowed without prior written approval by Arboretum Reservations/Event Team staff.

Ceiling drapery is only allowed in the MacMillan Auditorium and must be previously arranged through the Arboretum Reservations/Events Team. 

All of our private and corporate events receive one complimentary hour of setup and one hour of takedown, as long as these hours fall within our building and grounds hours. Building and grounds hours are subject to change throughout the year. 

All food and beverage for private and corporate events is required to go through our on-site catering services. Please connect with our catering team for more information on available options, current food and beverage minimums, and other pertinent information. No outside food and beverage is allowed without prior written approval by the Arboretum Reservations/Events team and/or the Arboretum catering team. Any Arboretum staff member is allowed to confiscate outside food or beverage that is brought into the buildings or to garden sites. 

The Arboretum Reservations/Events team and the Arboretum Catering team are a part of two separate companies. As such, the Arboretum Reservations/Events team cannot speak to the policies and procedures of the Arboretum Catering team and vice versa. You will have two main contacts to connect with throughout the planning process: one through the Arboretum Reservations/Events team and one through the Arboretum Catering team. However, rest assured. We work side by side with all of our teams here at the Arboretum to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that you will have a successful event.

Some of our rentable spaces come equipped with A/V equipment, others do not. Additional A/V equipment can be rented, including a projector, Bluetooth speaker, Smart meeting board, TV, and microphones. Please inquire with the Arboretum Reservations/Event Team for options. 

You are also welcome to bring and utilize your own A/V equipment for your event. 

You are responsible for cleaning up any decorations you bring into the space for your event. The Arboretum is not responsible for any personal items left behind at the conclusion of an event.

When your guests arrive at the Arboretum, they need to communicate to our gatehouse staff which event they plan to attend. Once approved, our gatehouse staff will direct your guests where to park. 

For most events, your guests’ admission into the Arboretum for the day is included with the cost of the room rental. Parking is free of charge to all Arboretum guests, but is permitted in designated areas only.

Yes, the Arboretum Reservations/Events team places signage throughout our main building each morning so, regardless of which entrance is used, your guests will arrive at the correct location.

The Arboretum parking lots, garden paths, and buildings are ADA accessible. A limited number of wheelchairs are available at the front desk to use at no charge 

Should anyone need a private nursing room or a quiet space throughout the day, please let an Arboretum Reservations/Event staff member know and arrangements will be made for them to utilize the space. 

The Arboretum is a smoke-free facility, including the grounds. No smoking of any kind is tolerated on the property.

The Arboretum Reservations/Events team is staffed seven days a week and will have at least one staff member present on the day of your event should you need to get a hold of us. This staff member will check in with you prior to your event start time to ensure you have everything you need.

Vendor Delivery and Pickup needs to occur during the access times listed on your event contract. 

Tables and chairs are included in the cost of the room rental for your event. You will work closely with an Arboretum Reservations/Events team member to develop a room layout that works best for your event needs.

You are also welcome to rent tables and chairs, along with any additional event needs through an outside vendor if you prefer.

Yes! All alcohol service must be organized with the Arboretum catering team. They offer a variety of options to choose from and are happy to assist in creating a bar service package tailored to your event!